Dental cheek-holder



J. H. DOYLE.

DENTAL GREEK HOLDER.

No. 257,215. Patented May 2,1882.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

Mai/0,; 250.5 4/

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED ST TE PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARRISON DOYLE, OF HILLSBOROUGH, OHIO.

DENTAL CHEEK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,215, dated May 2,1882.

Application filed August 17, 1881. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HARRlSON DoYLE, ofHillsborough, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Oral Speculums and Oheek-Distenders, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptiomreferencebeing had to the drawings hereto annexed.

My invention relates to devices for dilating the lips in the treatmentof the teeth or throat; and its object is to hold the lips and checksentirely out of contact with the teeth and gums without exciting thesecretion of saliva or causing pain to the patient.

My invention consists in a number of hooks of peculiar construction,which are adapted for being inserted into the mouth and holding the lipsapart, and which are provided with suitable reflectors, by the aid ofwhich the teeth or throat may be easily examined.

In the accompanying drawingsfi'ormingpart of this specification,Figure 1representsa plan view of a hook for the corners of the mouth Fig. 2, aside or edge view of the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent differentviews of ahook for elevating or depressing the front portion of thelips, and Fig, 6 shows the method ofapplying my invention to use.

In the practice of dentistry it is indispensable,in takingimpressionsofthe mouth,that the lips and checks should be held apart from thealveolar ridge and the mouth sufficiently dilated to admit the cupcontaining the plaster,

and to prevent the corners of the mouth from displacing any portion ofthe said plaster.

To provide against the contraction of the corners of the month duringsuch an operation, I construct two broad hooks, a a, which I connecttogether by means of a rubber tape, 1), and suitable clasps, c. The tapeis made adjustable, so that when placed around the back of the head andthe hooks are inserted into the corners of the mouth it may be made tohold the lips and cheeks entirely apart from the teeth or the alveolarridge, as the case may be. The hook a, which is to be constructed of anydesirable material, (preferably of celluloid or rubber,) is made broadat its outer end, a, with a plane inner surface for fittin g against theouter side of the check. The edges of the hook, which are curvilinear,converge toward the bend a, at which point they are made flarin g toaccommodate the curve of the mouth, and to prevent cutting the same whendrawn tightly by the tape or band. The outer surface of the bend a isthus made slightly curved from side to side, affording thus a shield orguard for the mouth against contact with any dental instrument when thebicuspidls or molars are being operated upon. The inner end, (4 of thehook is made broad,like the outer end, but with a slightly convexsurface on the side adjacent to the inner portion of the cheek, andslightly concave on the opposite side, and provided with a suitablereflector, a, which is set in the latter.

A suitable perforation, a is made in the outer end of the hook, wherebyit may be attached to the tape in any convenient manner.

In addition to the above-described hooks, I construct books as shown inFigs. 3, 4, and 5, which I intend to make the subject-matter of asubsequent application, in which the broad outer end is curved inwardnear its center toward the inner end, and the inner end is made deeplyconcavo-convex to accommodate the curve of the front portion of theteeth and gums. The object of this construction is to adapt the hook foruse in elevating the upper and depressing the lower lip. For applyingthese hooks a band around the head and another around the neck, to whichthey may be attached by means of suitable cords, will be sufficient.

It will be readily seen that by means of these hooks the interior of themouth may be fully exposed to view and the lips securely held out ofcontact with any instrument used upon the teeth. The inner end of thefirst-described hook will serve as a compressor to prevent the flow ofsaliva while the hook is applied. 7

While intended primarily for use in the dental profession, my inventionis also adapted for use in treating diphtheria and other throatdiseases, and in giving medicine to children where compulsion isnecessary.

I am aware that a hook secured to a handle for holding the cheek asidehas before been used 5 but 1 am not aware that such a hook haspurpose ofrepressing the flow of saliva; nor am 1 aware that a. cheek-distenderhaving a reflector secured to its inner portion has ever before beenemployed.

5 Having thus described lnyinvention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a cheek-distender, a hook having its curved portion made narrow toaccommodate 10 the angle of the mouth", and its inner end .made large,and provided with a reflector set in its surface, whereby the hook shallbe adapted to repress the flow of saliva and serve as a JOHN HARRISONDOYLE.

Witnesses:

B. F. BEESON, F. P. CHAPMAN.

